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New Chinese premier makes first foreign trip to Europe as part of Beijing’s outreach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang has started a visit to Germany and France that comes as Europe seeks to balance concerns over economic dependence on China and about its stance toward Ukraine and Taiwan with a desire to engage Beijing on issues such as climate change.Li, on his first trip abroad since taking office, was received by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday. He and a large delegation of Chinese ministers will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and their German counterparts on Tuesday, the seventh time the two countries have held such government consultations. Top officials from both sides also will meet business representatives.Li, a former Communist Party secretary for Shanghai, took office in March as China’s No. 2 official. It was part of a once-a-decade change of government that installed loyalists of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to enforce his vision of tighter political control over the economy and society.The visit comes as Europe and Germany c...

UN hosts Mideast and European envoys to raise money for humanitarian crisis in Sudan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Envoys from the Middle East and Europe attended a U.N.-hosted meeting Monday aimed at raising money to address Sudan’s deepening humanitarian crisis.Sudan has been rocked by fighting for over two months as the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces battle for control of the country. Sudan’s Health Ministry said Saturday that more than 3,000 have been killed in the conflict, which has decimated the country’s fragile infrastructure and sparked ethnic violence in the western Darfur region.Representatives from Egypt, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the African Union and the European Union met in Geneva to discuss helping Sudan. The U.N. says its emergency aid program launched after the war broke out April 15 has received less than 16% of the required $2.57 billion in aid.Around 24.7 million people, over half of Sudan’s population, are in need of humanitarian assistance, the U.N. says. Over 2.2 million people have fled their homes to safer areas e...

Tom Watson is the latest to want answers on the PGA Tour’s deal with Saudi backers of LIV

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Eight-time major champion Tom Watson wants answers on the PGA Tour’s new business partnership with Saudi backers of LIV Golf, asking in a letter Monday to Commissioner Jay Monahan if the deal was the only way to solve the tour’s financial hardship.That was one of several questions posed by Watson in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press and was sent to Monahan, the PGA Tour board and “my fellow players.”He said the questions were “compounded by the hypocrisy in disregarding the moral issue.”On the day after Wyndham Clark became the latest major champion by winning the U.S. Open, focus shifted back to an issue that has consumed golf for the last three years. It took a stunning turn June 6 when the PGA Tour announced it had joined with Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund and the European tour to put commercial businesses under one roof.Monahan has referred to it as a “framework agreement” and he had few answers for players in a meeting two weeks ago...

Montenegro court sentences founder of cryptocurrency firm Terraform Labs to 4 months in prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — A court in Montenegro on Monday sentenced the founder of cryptocurrency firm Terraform Labs, Do Kwon, and another citizen of South Korea to four months in prison for using forged documents. Kwon was arrested in Montenegro in March on an international arrest warrant in connection with the $40 billion crash of Terraform Labs’ cryptocurrency, which devastated retail investors around the world. Both South Korea and the United States have requested his extradition from Montenegro. The courts in the country are yet to decide on those requests in separate proceedings. Authorities said Kwon and the other man were arrested at Podgorica Airport while trying to fly to Dubai using fake Costa Rican passports.The Basic Court in Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, said on Monday that time already spent in detention since the pair’s arrest on March 23 will be included in the sentence, state RTCG television reported. “The court found they were guilty of the criminal a...

Russian opposition leader Navalny is on trial again in case that may keep him locked up for decades

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

MELEKHOVO, Russia (AP) — Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny went on trial Monday on new charges of extremism that could keep him behind bars for decades.The trial opened at a maximum security penal colony in Melekhovo, 250 kilometers (150 miles) east of Moscow, where Navalny, 47, is serving a nine-year sentence for fraud and contempt of court — charges he says are politically motivated. Soon after it began, the judge ruled to close the trial despite Navalny’s call to keep it open.Navalny, who exposed official corruption and organized major anti-Kremlin protests, was arrested in January 2021 upon returning to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.Wearing his prison garb, Navalny looked gaunt at the session but spoke emphatically about the weakness of the state’s case and gestured energetically.Navalny has said the new extremism charges, which he rejected as “absurd,” could keep him in prison for anot...

Sheriff: 22 injured, 1 dead in shooting at Juneteenth celebration in Willowbrook Township

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. — At least 22 people were shot, one fatally, early Sunday morning during a celebration for Juneteenth in unincorporated Willowbrook Township, according to the DuPage County Sheriff's Office.A group of people were peacefully gathering around 12:30 a.m. near Route 83 and Honeysuckle Rose Lane when shots were fired. An unknown number of individuals fired shots from multiple weapons in the crowd, the sheriff's office said.According to Battalion Chief Joe Ostrander with the Tri-State Fire Protection District, 12 ambulances were brought to the scene. In total, 10 people were transported from the scene to area hospitals, with injuries ranging from graze wounds to more serious gunshot wounds.On Sunday afternoon, the sheriff's office said at least 22 were injured were shot and one person was fatally wounded. The identities and conditions of the victims have not been released yet.Some people self-transported to local hospitals. Investigators look over the scene of an overn...

John's Pizzeria in Bucktown closing after 66 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

CHICAGO — John's Pizzeria, which has been located in Bucktown since 1957, is closing at the end of the month.The restaurant's owner, Larry Imburgia, told WGN News the establishment is closing due to a family dispute.Located in the 2100 block of North Western, just north of Armitage, since 1957 — Imburgia said the dining room has largely remained unchanged since then.Medium thin with light beef, well doneThe last day will be June 30.In the announcement on Facebook, the restaurant posted an old menu from 1957 showing a large cheese pizza for $1.50. ‘Just want a chance’: Man with autism starting alternative baseball league in suburbs Fans have posted several memories in the comment section of the Facebook post expressing their dismay.John's also said half baked pizzas, which can be frozen, are available for purchase.

FOUND: Missing high risk 14yo from Albany Park found safe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 14-year-old who was missing from Albany Park since early Saturday morning was safely found, according to Chicago police. Man shot in head in River North, suspect in custody

'Near 100%' chance tropical depression forms within 48 hours, National Hurricane Center says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - There is a "near 100%" chance a tropical wave in the Atlantic develops into a tropical depression within 48 hours, according to the National Hurricane Center. The wave is located midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles, according to the National Hurricane Center, which said it could begin initiating advisories later Monday. This system is forecast to move generally westward at 15 to 20 mph with further developmentacross the central tropical Atlantic through the middle part of this week, according to the National Hurricane Center."The forecast models have low confidence on where Invest 92L will go over the next 10 days," WFLA Meteorologist Amanda Holly said. "As it continues to get better organized, the models will get a better handle on the system. However, right now, it is too early to say whether it will move into the Caribbean or re-curve out to sea, but there is plenty of time to watch it."A second wave is being monitored off the coast of Africa and ha...

Florida police search woman's backpack, find baby raccoon and glass pipe inside

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:12 GMT

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida woman was found with a baby raccoon in her bag after police searched her belongings during a bicycle stop.According to the Clearwater Police Department, 43-year-old Lindsay Rodewald was stopped while riding her bicycle, which did not have lights on at night. While speaking with police, she gave them verbal consent to search her backpack. Officers found a broken glass pipe with crystal residue. A field test indicated the presence of methamphetamine. Deadline tonight to register big cats under new federal law Rodewald told the police department she forgot the pipe was in her bag and that she used meth a few days prior.Upon further investigation, the baby raccoon was found in the woman's backpack. Police said it was around a week old.The critter was taken to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Tampa. It will be cared for alongside other young raccoons before being released into the wild.